The Seattle Seahawks made the shocking decision to move on from Geno Smith in the offseason, sending him to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick. Instead, they signed Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal that included $55 million in guarantees.
The move has paid off as Seattle's new quarterback has been incredibly productive, as his 91.1 Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grade leads the entire league. Meanwhile, the Seahawks have been among the best teams in the league as they have rebounded from a season-opening loss to win their past three games -- including two blowout victories and a road divisional win.
The Raiders, on the other hand, are just 1-3 as they fell to the Chicago Bears in a 25-24 thriller in Week 4. Smith was a major part of their loss as he once again had a poor showing, further justifying Seattle's decision to make a quarterback change in the offseason.
Geno Smith continues to prove the Seattle Seahawks front office right
Darnold has played at an elite level in 2025. In addition to being the highest-rated quarterback, according to PFF, he has thrown for 905 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 70.0% completion percentage.
Meanwhile, Smith has posted a 60.7 PFF grade, ranking 37th of 49 quarterbacks this season. He has thrown for 948 yards, six touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 63.8% completion percentage. The former Seahawks quarterback leads the league in interceptions thrown as he has finished two of the Raiders' four games with three interceptions.
Smith was, once again, the main source of Las Vegas' struggles in Week 4 as he finished with 117 passing yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 66.7% completion percentage. The two-time Pro Bowler struggled to take care of the football throughout the game, costing his team a chance at victory.
The decision to move on from Smith -- and pick up Darnold as his replacement -- has paid dividends for Seattle in a major way. The 2024 Pro Bowler has thrown for 905 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 70.0% completion percentage. He has done a great job at taking care of the football, which has helped the Seahawks continue to win games.
In Week 4, Darnold was significantly better than Smith once again, as their throw chart shows. While there is still plenty of football to be played this season, it looks like Seattle's decision to swap quarterbacks was the right move for the team.